What actually is Independence Day, and what does it mean to ‘we the people’? July 4th has been a federal holiday since 1941, and what it celebrates is the Continental Congress voting in favor of independence from Great Britain. This happened on July 2nd in 1776. Two days later the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. Here is a link to that inspiring document.
We often talk about the spirit of the founding fathers and this spirit is expressed in these words –
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
The Declaration puts the power in the hands of the governed – the people. Looking back over the 246 years of the existence of this government we can see what has been done to actually make the truth evident, that all men (all people) are created equal and have the right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
We have seen women gain equal rights. We have seen the end of slavery, and the movement for civil rights for the descendants of those slaves. All along the line of time these principles have emerged as elected representatives of the people make up the government. We know this government is still far from perfect. We also know that the efforts the people put forward have brought about change again and again. And finally, we know there is still a way to go.
AMS Fulfillment is proud to be an American Corporation and a B Corporation, dedicated to furthering these same principles. We have chosen to be the change we want to see in the world. We consider ourselves responsible for the well-being of our employees, the communities in which we exist, the environment, our valued clients, and ourselves.
In 1776, at the time of the writing of this Declaration, the culture was tolerant of enslavement, oppression and even genocide. And yet… change kept coming and it keeps coming due to the desire of ‘we the people’ for a better world.
Happy Independence Day and may we continue to honor the desire of human beings for Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Photo Credit: Anthony Roberts